Congratulations to Orion Industries, the winner of the 2020 Auburn Area CONNECT Employer of the Year SPOTLIGHT Award.
The Employer of the Year SPOTLIGHT Award recognizes an employer who has implemented innovative job retention, creation, benefits, and/or compensation plans that foster a thriving work environment in the Auburn Area.
The CONNECT 2020 Employer of the Year SPOTLIGHT Award was sponsored by Emerald Aire, Inc.
The SPOTLIGHT Awards Program is an annual initiative of the Auburn Area CONNECT Chamber of Commerce that recognizes businesses, nonprofits and community leaders in the Auburn Area, who serve the community and, through their business products/services, employee programs, volunteerism and/or mission statement, benefit and improve the Auburn Area and help our region thrive as a center of economic activity and social leadership in the South Puget Sound. Members of the community are invited each year to nominate a deserving business, nonprofit or individual leader for our SPOTLIGHT recognition. Following the nomination period, Auburn Area CONNECT board members and members of the business community vote on the nomination they believe best represents the spirit of each award.
The Auburn Area CONNECT Chamber of Commerce is proud to recognize Orion Industries as our 2020 "Employer of the Year" SPOTLIGHT Award winner.
Founded in 1957 as a vocational school for students with disabilities, Orion Industries is a mission-driven nonprofit organization that provides career pathways to individuals who face various barriers to employment, such as learning disabilities, low incomes, homelessness, and mental health concerns. Orion is a social enterprise that uses operations in its Aerospace Manufacturing Division as a platform to teach people job skills through a combination of classroom instruction and paid training, including mentoring and internship programs. The manufacturing business also provides funding for the organization's social mission.
Orion Industries has been headquartered in Auburn since 2014 and is supported by an additional location in Mukilteo, Washington.
Orion Industries operates according to a simple belief: That good jobs change lives. At Orion, they believe that "everyone deserves the opportunity to experience the hope and self-worth that comes with employment." The organization offers paid training opportunities and services to people in our communities with limited access to jobs. Through these services, Orion assists them in finding long-lasting careers. (CLICK HERE to read more about their history and purpose-driven mission.)
Even as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic hit our communities, Orion took steps to maintain the core strength of their employment programming. They prioritized staff safety by following CDC and King County Health guidelines, including more frequent cleaning and disinfecting of high-touch surfaces and requiring that masks be worn in all common spaces. They have encouraged staff to work remotely whenever possible and to use Zoom and other digital tools to conduct meetings and further minimize in-person contact.
They also continue to support working parents through the educational challenges posed by the ongoing pandemic. With the support of management, Orion staff have formed a cooperative network to provide a safe, supervised space and learning center for the children of employees. This "Learning Pod" serves 20 children from 13 families and six school districts.
Since 2014, more than 350 residents of the Auburn/Algona/Pacific area have received services through the training programs offered by Orion. In 2019 alone, Orion provided paid, on-the-job training to 372 people, placing 125 into living-wage jobs, with a retention rate of 87%. Of those served in 2018, 96% were living at or below the Federal poverty level. 82% of all individuals served by Orion programming have a disability.
The organization's "Transitional Employment Model" has been nationally recognized by REDF (a venture philanthropy organization that invests in social enterprises focused on overcoming barriers to employment) and Stand Together. They have twice been selected by Seattle Business Magazine as the Manufacturing Nonprofit of the Year, in 2012 and 2018. In addition, they received eight consecutive Boeing Performance Excellence Awards (2011-2018), and they are a three-time recipient of the Global Boeing Supplier of the Year Award (2011, 2015, 2016).
Kacie Bray, Auburn Area CONNECT CEO, presented the 2020 Employer of the Year SPOTLIGHT Award to members of the Orion staff and leadership team, including: Orion Industries CEO Jerry Chase, CFO Jeff Black, VP of Services Kathy Powers, HR Manager Kristina Pressley and HR Assistant Erin Mezek.
Watch the award presentation video below:
Thank you to Emerald Aire, Inc. for sponsoring the 2020 CONNECT Employer of the Year SPOTLIGHT Award.
*****
For more information about Orion Industries, their purpose-driven mission, programs and services, visit: orionworks.org.
Learn more about Orion Industries in the video below:
